Sgt. Carlos Vila was accused of illegally recording Baltimore Judge Joan Gordon, who sits in the city's eastside district court. Vila was also charged with playing the recordings for his colleagues. Both charges are felonies.

The indictment stemmed from an incident in April when Vila reportedly used his cellphone to record an argument he had with the judge over a warrant, I-Team lead investigative reporter Jayne Miller said.

The judge found out about the recording and filed a complaint, which sparked the investigation.

It is illegal in Maryland to make an audio recording of someone without their consent. Linda Tripp put the law on the map when she was accused of secretly recording Monica Lewinsky about her affair with then-President Bill Clinton.

Police officials told 11 News that Vila, who is an 18-year veteran of the force, will be suspended without pay.